As the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity, we protect more than 1,100 woods in the UK. One of our top priorities is to restore and improve the variety of woodland wildlife and we are currently involved in joint projects to help threatened species such as dormouse, bats, otter, pine marten, red squirrel, nightingale, tawny owl, newts, butterflies and beetles.

While many of these species require positive action to help them survive, some thrive unaided. Others, like deer, have no significant natural predators and in large numbers can do harm to the very environment on which they depend so we may need to act for the greater good. Deer browse and often destroy rare plants and young woodland. Grey squirrels not only threaten the survival of trees by ring-barking them, but also displace the endangered red squirrel in some parts of the UK. In other cases, we may be legally obliged to prevent any damage to neighbouring land (farmers may have concerns about the impact of rabbits eating crops, for instance). 

Where a problem is identified, we first of all consider preventative methods – temporary or permanent fencing, for example – but where there is no better alternative or where excluding animals is not possible we rely on professional culling as a last resort, always in what is as humane a way as possible. We do not allow the shooting of animals for sport in our own woods. Not only did we oppose the Westminster government’s plan for a large-scale cull of badgers, but we are also providing homes in some of our woods for orphaned badger cubs.

The Woodland Trust’s work for wildlife is overwhelmingly positive. One of the main reasons we focus on protecting and restoring ancient woodland is that it is the UK’s richest wildlife habitat. We also plant millions of native trees to restore, create and extend havens for wildlife. Perhaps our greatest challenge is to help woodland wildlife cope with the rapid onset of climate change.

Other organisations with specialist interest in woodland wildlife are English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage, Countryside Council for Wales and the Forestry Commission.